My Adoration
by PagetPaulson
Summary: Could they be more?
1. Chapter 1

"I told you," the forensic scientist groaned as she walked out of her lab, McGee following her every step. "Emily is coming later."

The NCIS agent grinned excitedly to the younger woman as they rode in the elevator up to the bullpen. He had heard the other agent's sister was coming to pick her up for lunch and he immediately jumped on the chance to meet her. "I love her," he gushed. "Have you read her paper on misogynistic serial killers and their relation to nature versus nurture?"

Abby hurried off the elevator to try and rid herself of the other agent. "Yes Timmy, I helped her edit it."

"Really?"

The squeal of the older man caused Abby's shoulders to fly up and stiffen. "McGee!" Spinning on her heel, the goth woman tried her best to smile at her friend. "She's just my sister. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Tony piped up from his desk. Turning his phone to face the others in the room, the Italian man grinned. "She's hot."

Abby huffed. "You googled her?"

The tanned man, just back from vacation, gave her a stupid look. "I'm sorry, why would I not?"

McGee vigorously tapped his friend's arm until she turned back to face him. "Do you think she's bringing her paper with her?" he asked nervously.

"No," the dark haired woman replied, her eyes narrowed.

"Oh that's ok!" The nerdy man practically ran over to his desk and slid his drawer open, smiling wide when he took out the thirty page paper from his desk. "I have a copy," he grinned.

"What are you doing with that?"

McGee's smile fell as he looked to the paper he held. "For her to sign," he shrugged.

Abby's jaw dropped. "It's not like she's famous, McGee."

"In the world of profiling she is!" the older man argued, not noticing his boss coming down from the conference room and into the bullpen. "She's spoken at over a dozen conferences and I was able to go to a few of them. It's like sitting in the same room with Einstein."

"If we were in the same room with Einstein this nonsense wouldn't be happening, would it?"

McGee froze. "Yes boss," he nodded, sitting down in his seat and hiding his paper back in his desk drawer.

Looking around, Gibbs let his eyes land on Abby and Ziva. "What's going on?"

Ziva pointed to the goth girl who sat on the edge of her desk. "Abby's sister is coming to visit."

"Really?"

The pigtailed woman slowly nodded her head, her fingers trying to dig into the wood of Ziva's desk. "Yes sir," she smiled, doing her best to stay calm. She knew the history between her sister and her boss, and it was not the time to get in the middle of it.

Gibbs slowly nodded his head, his hands in his pockets. "As long as it doesn't disturb u-"

"Abby?"

The dark haired NCIS scientist turned and immediately lit up. "Emily!"

The FBI agent grinned and rushed over to her sister, immediately wrapping her up in a hug. "Hey," she laughed, letting her younger sister rock her back and forth in their hug. "I missed you so much."

"Me too!" Pulling back, Abby looked the older brunette up and down. "Classy."

Emily laughed, looking down to the skirt suit she was wearing, her new heels three inches and clicking against the ground. "I had a meeting a City Hall," she huffed with a smile. "At least I get to look good."

"True."

Turning, the brown eyed brunette saw the Italian man smiling to her from his spot behind his desk. "Tony," she nodded. "Nice to meet you."

Tony's jaw dropped. How did she know who he was?

"Ziva," Emily grinned. "It's nice to see you again."

"You too, Emily. Thank you for letting me borrow your jacket last month," the foreign woman smiled, nodding to her friend. "Very American of you."

The FBI agent frowned.

Watching as everyone turned to stare her way, the Israeli woman shook her head. "Nice," she tried to explain. "Friendly!"

Emily laughed lightly. "Well thank you," she smiled. Turning to the other man behind his desk, Emily took in his wide eyes and parted lips. "McGee?" she asked.

McGee slowly nodded his head.

"Abby's told me all about you," the agent smiled gently, noticing his shock. Walking over to his desk, the FBI agent set her hand on the smooth wood. "You're her favorite," she whispered.

The younger man gave a nervous laugh as he shared a smile with the agent.

Turning on her heel, the ambassador's daughter met the eyes of the man she'd loved for the past four years. When she was ready, he wasn't. When he was, she wasn't. But they always found the right time to fall into that lustful pit that did its best to consume them.

They were no more than fuck buddies at best, but neither knew what the other felt.

"Hello Leroy," she smiled gently, her voice soft. She took a small step forward and stopped herself from placing a hand to his arm. "How are you?"

The grey haired man looked into those deep brown eyes. "Better," he nodded, feeling the eyes of his subordinates on him. "Thank you."

Picking up the tension, Abby reached forward and took her sister's hand. "Come on. Lunch time."

Emily showed the older man she kept her eyes on a smile. "I'll call you."

The rest of the NCIS team watched as the two sisters left the bullpen gabbing and whispering in one another's ears before all their eyes traveled back to their boss, eyes wide and minds completely confused.

Gibbs gave his classic glare to the rest of his team before turning his back, making his way to the coffee machine. "Get back to work."


	2. Chapter 2

Emily slapped her sister's hand away from her hair as they sat down at the table they were brought to. "Stop," she laughed, sitting across from the younger girl and setting her purse by her feet. "I'm not dying it."

"Why not? It'd look so good my color."

"Your color is black," the elder of the two retorted. "That's not even a color."

Abby glared to her sister.

Emily shook her head, immediately flipping open her menu to look through the entrees. "I like my color. It's natural," she shrugged, "and it changes colors in the sunlight." Shaking her head, Emily looked back to the younger woman. "I'm good."

"You're boring," the scientist said plainly.

Ordering a bottle of wine for their table, the older Prentiss shook her head. "How's work?"

Abby lit up. "Amazing," she gushed. "I got promoted from Forensic Scientist to Head Forensic Scientist."

Emily bit back her laughter at the look on her little sister's face. She knew very well that Abby was the only forensic scientist in her unit, but she wasn't going to take away the younger woman's happiness. "That's great," she smiled back, picking up her glass of water and clinking it against her sister's. "A lot of cases lately?"

"It's been a pretty quiet month. What about you?"

The FBI agent shook her head as she swallowed her water. "Hectic," the brunette sighed. "We just got back from Texas, and we've been to New York and Mississippi now twice in two months."

Abby thanked the waiter when he came back and poured their wine. "Did you get mom's phone call?"

"Mom's phone call or mom's assistant's phone call?" the brown eyed agent snorted humorlessly. Setting her hand to her ear, Emily contorted her face and heightened her voice. "Abigail? Emily Rose? This is Fawn, the Ambassador's assistant. I wanted to let you know that although your mother is too busy to call you herself, she told me to invite you two to the annual anniversary dinner for her and your father."

The younger sister put her hand to her ear. "Is our father available to talk, Fawn?"

Emily's head quickly shook. "No darling, your father is out at the golf course doing his best to beat his business partner for the first time in fifty years. Can I take a message?"

Abby laughed as her sister took a big swig of her wine, and they ordered their meals for lunch. "So," she grinned, setting her elbows on the table and putting her chin in her hands. "How's the dating front? Any new men?"

The brunette woman smiled softly to the scientist and shook her head. "No. You already know that."

"I do not."

Emily rolled her eyes at the words and shook her head, reaching for the bread in the middle of their table. "I haven't seen anyone in a while," she shrugged, not wanting to get into it any further.

Abby spread the butter over her piece of bread. "No one to take the place of Gibbs in your wallet?"

The brunette's eyes shot up. "Abby!"

Abby shrugged, biting into her bread and looking down to her plate. "It's not a secret that you have his picture there. When are you getting rid of it."

"Not a secret to you, Abby. Only you."

The scientist grinned. "Aren't I special?"

Emily sighed, staring down to the bread in her hand and giving a shake of her head. She and the older man had been on and off for years on end, but there was finally a point the year before that had Emily break away from the NCIS agent.

He couldn't love her back.

Not one proclaimed their love for one another but they both knew the feelings Emily had. The brunette woman couldn't let herself be seduced into Gibbs' bed another time without him reciprocating her feelings, and the knowledge that that would not happen broke the FBI agent's heart.

"Em?"

Emily looked back up and saw the sad gaze her sister held. "I'm ok," she nodded, smiling her best to the younger woman. "I'm over it."

Abby sighed. "No you're not."

"No," she agreed quietly. "I'm not." Her head lifted as the waiter set down their meals, and she waited a second after he left the table to look back to the woman she'd grown up with. "But I'll get over it at some point."

The only other time the agent had been in love was when she was fifteen, and that didn't end the way she'd wanted either.

Abby pouted and quickly cut off part of her grilled tofu and slid it onto her sister's plate.

Doing her best not to grimace, the brown eyed agent smiled to her sister. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Do you want me to find you someone?"

Emily playfully glared at the younger woman as she picked up her wine glass. "No," the brunette laughed. "I don't need to go on a date with another goth who wants to drink my blood."

Abby's jaw dropped at the accusation. "That was one time!"


	3. Chapter 3

Following the doctor down to the basement of the agency, Gibbs kept his phone in his hand the entire time. That day was the first time in an entire year he'd seen the woman he was in love with, and he was hopeful that once Abby was back from lunch she'd give him a call.

Ducky hid his smirk from his friend as he slopped off his gloves. "Waiting for a call, Jethro?"

Gibbs shook his head. "What are you doing, Duck?"

"Just fooling around."

The grey haired agent watched the older man throw the gloves in the trash can before going over to the sink to wash his hands. "With a dead body, Duck?" he asked, his eyes moving over the corpse on the examination table.

Ducky laughed as he dried his hands with a paper towel. "We all have our likes and dislikes," he called across the room. Stepping back toward the center of the room, the doctor smiled. "Much like you and your women, yes?"

Gibbs sighed.

"Emily came down to see me before getting Abby for lunch," he grinned. "A marvelous girl, that one."

The NCIS agent slowly nodded his head, his eyes never meeting those of his friend. "I know," he agreed. Emily was the best there was.

"How's it going with her, Jethro?"

Gibbs gave a small smile to the older man.

Ducky grinned. "Is that why you're afraid to let go of your phone?"

"I haven't seen her in a while."

Keeping his eyes on the younger man, the doctor couldn't even try hiding his happy smile. "That doesn't mean nothing can happen."

Gibbs slowly shook his head. "No, but it lowers the chances."

"Not true," the man in glasses spoke up, his finger in the air. Turning on his heel, he walked back to his desk and took a file from the top of the pile. "You two have been on and off for years, correct?"

Gibbs tried to glare at the older man, but found the cheerful man made it too difficult to grow angry.

"She has only had one boyfriend in the past five years," he's nodded. Showing the file to the other man, Ducky smiled. "That's you."

Gibbs took the file and set it down without even taking a peek. "How do you know that?"

"It's in the file. Abby had her beautiful friend Penelope bring me her professional file and she happened to put in a few side notes."

The blue eyed agent smirked. "Of course she did." He and his team had met the blond on many occasions when they'd had to video conference with the FBI for cases and she sure was a sight to behold. "I need you up in the conference room in an hour, ok?"

Ducky nodded. "Of course. But if you plan to use it for private time with you and Emily then just tell me before I walk in on something I shouldn't." He grinned as he watched his friend turn and swiftly walk out of his office. "A joke, Jethro!" he laughed.

Making his way back up to the main floor, the grey haired man found himself stuck behind the brunette in question, the agent walking her sister up to the bullpen.

"So what are you going to wear?"

Emily shrugged, her arm interlaced with her sister's as they walked up the few flights of stairs. "Not black," she snorted. "You'll take care of that."

Abby's head turned so her eyes met her sisters. "Oh!" the scientist gasped, gently hitting the older woman on her shoulder. "You should wear that purple dress. You know, that new silk one you got two months ago?"

The older woman shook her head. "Too sexy."

Smirking, the scientist leaned into her sister as they reached the NCIS bullpen. "Wear it for Gibbs."

"I'm sure he'd like that."

Emily stiffened at the voice behind her, and she immediately felt her sister take her arm from her hold and step away from her.

Abby did her best to smile to her boss. "Sir," she nodded before scurrying over to Ziva's desk.

Gulping, the FBI agent slowly turned around in the doorway of the staircase and saw her ex - ex-fuck buddy, that was - and she slowly smiled. "Hi," she laughed nervously, feeling herself begin to sweat at the satisfied smile the older man was wearing.

"Sexy, huh?"'

The brown eyed woman moved out of the older man's way and to the elevator. "Not sexy, per say," the agent denied.

Gibbs stood beside the brunette, feeling the eyes of his team on him as he moved just a little closer to the beautiful woman he hadn't been able to keep a hold of. "Why don't you show me?"

Emily snorted so hard she brought her fingers up to her hurting nose, her head shaking. "No," she laughed.

"Well what about dinner?"

Hearing the elevator ding, Emily glanced up to the blue eyed man by her side. She felt her hands clenching around the strap of her purse as she watched him step into the elevator, turning to face her with that gaze he would use on her when they were going to bed. "Sure." Stepping into the elevator with him, she met the eyes of her sister as the elevator doors were closing, her pulse racing.


	4. Chapter 4

Following her ex up the steps to his front door, Emily kept herself quiet and composed. It had been almost a year since she had been to his home, the only place he felt comfortable. They would spend the evening in his living room before retiring to the bedroom after a few glasses of wine. Sometimes she'd find herself watching him work on his boat when she woke up in the middle of the night and she found herself alone in the older man's bed.

She loved watching him work.

Other than during working hours, the grey haired man was only truly focused and happy when working in his basement, and Emily was happy to give him that time when he needed it.

Emily gave him a small smile as a thank you as she walked past him and into the house. "New couch?" she questioned, her eyes immediately drawn to the grey color.

"Yeah," he laughed, his arms out and immediately catching the dog that came running for him. "This big guy messed the last one up."

The brunette woman felt her heart warm at the sight of the man she loved smiling wide as he pet his new dog. "When'd you get him?"

Gibbs turned and watched the black lab approach his date with apprehension. The younger woman held her hand out, and he bit back his smile when his dog let Emily softly pet his nose before she knelt to the ground and scratched behind his ears.

"He's big," she laughed, letting the lab lick the palm of her hand. "Very friendly."

"His name is Ton," the older man nodded as he stood. "I got him eight months ago. He's four."

Emily looked up to the older man with a softness in her eyes. "Adoption," she nodded. "Very sweet." Standing just as her date did, the FBI agent brushed off her skirt. "I got a cat."

Gibbs' brow raised.

"I know," she smirked, "I know." She'd always tell the older man that she'd never get a pet because of how much of a neat freak she was, but she had started to get lonely. "His name is Sergio."

"Adopted?"

Emily quickly nodded her head, setting her purse on the kitchen table. "Why spend thousands of dollars when there are animals waiting in the pound?"

The older man watched as the beautiful woman slipped off her heels, just like she always would, before following him into the kitchen.

Sitting herself down at his kitchen table, the FBI agent set her chin in her hand, her eyes batting up to the grey haired man she loved. "What are you making me?" she asked softly, her eyes never leaving his.

Cursing himself for turning his back on her, the blue eyed man opened up his fridge. "How does reheated baked ziti sound?"

"Better than my usual meal," Emily laughed. Once he had scooped few spoonfuls into the two bowls he'd taken from the cupboard, the brunette woman walked up to the kitchen counter and let her fingers trail along the wood. "May I?"

He didn't even have to look up. "Same drawer as always."

She could hear the smile in her ex's voice. "Thanks," she replied, turning on her bare feet and letting the dog follow her into the older man's bedroom.

Gibbs took in a breath as he put the bowls into the microwave. This was there routine, always had been. But tonight felt different. He couldn't put his finger on it but it seemed calmer than usual. It felt almost as if they wouldn't fall into bed at all that night.

Maybe they'd actually go to bed. Sleeping, no sex. That had never happened with them before.

Opening the microwave and stirring the pasta, the NCIS agent shook his head. Maybe they weren't going to do anything at all. Maybe after dinner, she'd tell him she'd have to leave, and he'd never see her again. After all the chances he'd had, maybe Emily wouldn't stick around after this.

Emily walked back into the living room with the lab at her side, her bare feet making impressions in the rug. "Smells good."

Gibbs set the wine down on his coffee table and looked up, his eyes meeting those of the younger woman. Every night she'd come over, she'd change into his sweats and a t-shirt, but at this moment she was dressed in only one of his work shirts buttoned up to her cleavage, and her hair was suspiciously mused.

The brunette gave a gentle smile. "That for me?" she asked, gesturing to the glass in his hand.

He handed her the glass and let her sit beside him. Pushing the bowl of pasta over to her, he sat back, letting his dog scoot in between them and lay his head on the couch from his spot on the floor.

"He sure knows how to get cozy," the agent laughed.

Gibbs grinned down to his dog and scratched him behind his ears. "Always does."

Leaning into the older man, Emily rested her back against the cushions and took a bite of the pasta. "Wow," she murmured around her fork, looking to the grey haired man with raised brows, bringing her feet up so she could get comfortable on his couch. "This is pretty good."

"Only pretty good?"

The brown eyed woman gave her ex a narrow gaze. "I mean you can't always do well on second day pasta," her soft words stated. Teasing the older man had always been her favorite past time. "You're lucky I gave you that much."

Gibbs looked down to his dog and scoffed. "This is why you haven't met her yet, Ton. She's too snarky."

The lab's ears perked up.

Emily's face fell into a patient smile as she set her pasta back down on the coffee table. "Is that why?" she asked quietly.

Gibbs turned to look into the younger woman's dark eyes. "Is it?"

The brown eyed woman licked the sauce from her lips and gently shook her head, looking down to her warm hands.

Hearing the thunder outside, both adults turned to see the rain pounding against the window. "Wow," Emily breathed, her hand automatically going to the dog's head when she heard him whimper. "That came out of nowhere."

"If you need," the older man spoke up, his voice deep, "you can stay the night."

The FBI agent bit her lip. "Really?" she asked, almost surprised. She didn't know why. They were already back in the swing of things.

Gibbs kept his eyes on the younger woman. "Really."


	5. Chapter 5

Gibbs followed the beautiful woman he had fallen in love with into his bedroom. They had been on the couch for almost an hour, Emily's head somehow falling to rest on his shoulder as they watched the news in the dark, Ton's head resting on the brunette's feet on the couch.

It felt perfect.

"I like this," the FBI agent said softly, looking to the small furnace looking fireplace in the corner of her ex's room. "Cozy."

He let her hand fall from his and he sat on his bed, taking off his shoes while the brunette woman knelt below the fire place and lit a match she'd found on the nightstand.

Emily flicked the match into the fireplace and watched as it slowly lit up in flames. "I love fireplaces," she whispered. "I was so upset when I found out there were no apartments with any in D.C." Standing, she set the box of matches back on the nightstand and turned to face the man in the room. "I'm glad you have one."

"Really?"

She moved across the small space and stood between his legs, her fingers going to comb through his light hair. "Yeah."

Gibbs took her by the wrists and brought her hands down to his lips and kissed her warm skin. Without a word, he slid back on the bed and watched her kneel before him, sitting on her heels as he played with her fingers.

Emily gave a small smile, feeling the fire start to heat up the room. "You're just as handsome as you've always been."

The grey haired man frowned. "Even with these new wrinkles?"

"What about mine?" Emily challenged with a smile, taking her hands from his and tracing over the crows feet and forehead creases she was sure she had. "I think they show character."

"I don't see wrinkles." He lifted his hands and let his fingers dance across the laugh lines she had. "You're still as beautiful as you were."

The FBI agent bit her lip. She hadn't felt this kind of love from him since their first date.

Their first date that led to the only night they were together where they hadn't had sex. They'd spent the night traveling around the city, neither having to go to work the next day, and it was the first time in years Emily had felt truly happy. That's what the blue eyed man did for her.

Gibbs brought her attention back to him with running his fingers through her dark hair, and Emily glanced down. "Do you want me to stay tonight?"

"I want to do whatever you want to do."

Her lashes fluttering against the skin of her cheek, Emily leaned down and brushed her lips against the older man's.

Gibbs' arms wrapped around her waist and brought their chests together, feeling the brunette's hands cup his cheeks. She tasted exactly the same.

Emily broke away from the older man with a small sigh.

"Is that what you wanted to do?"

"Yes," she whispered, staring into his eyes. "I missed you."

Gibbs kept his arms around the beautiful brunette as he watched her start to unbutton his shirt that she wore, the thin fabric hiding her nipples as she unbuttoned it all the way, her fingers slowly sliding down the skin between her breasts.

Emily did her best to keep her eyes from watering as Gibbs' arms tightened around her. "Did you miss me too?"

He could hear the sadness in her voice. "I did miss you." Taking the material of the shirt she wore, he started to button it back up.

The brunette shook her head. "What?" Her voice cracked, and she took the older man's hands in hers. "Stop."

"I don't want to do this."

Emily felt the bridge of her nose start to sting, just as it always did before she started to cry. "You said you wanted to do whatever I wanted," she whispered, her voice thick. Leaning down, she pulled the shirt just off her shoulders and brushed their noses together. "This is what I want."

Gibbs took her face in his hands and pressed a long kiss to her lips. "I want to make love to you."

The brunette felt herself freeze.

"I want to make love to you because I love you."

Emily's jaw hung, hearing the black lab whine as he padded out of the room.

Gibbs shook his head, looking down to the ends of the shirt his ex wore and taking his arms from around the beautiful woman. "I have always loved you."

The FBI agent let the grey haired man take her heavy breast in his hand, his thumb brushing over her pink nipple.

"I promise I love you." Taking his hands off of the younger woman, Gibbs began to button her shirt back up, all the way to her collarbone. "But tonight isn't the night I want to show you."

Emily let her ex remove himself from her, and she watched from her spot on his bed. Her eyes followed his every move, watching as he changed into his pajamas and finally turned off the lights. She could only see him from the glow of the fire on the other end of the room.

Moving back toward the bed, the agent sat himself down. "I want to take you out."

Emily's eyes watered.

"I want to take you on a date, maybe to that new Greek restaurant downtown. Abby told me you wanted to go," he smiled. "I want to bring you flowers, or send you cards just because or even surprise you at work for a lunch break." Gibbs sat down beside the brunette and cupped her cheek. "I want to make love to you," he husked, leaning in so his forehead was against hers, "and I want to always make love to you. I don't want to have nights like the ones we used to have."

She let his thumb brush along the warmed skin of her cheek, and her hand came up to cover his.

"I want you to know that with every touch, I love you. But right now, all I want to do is lay down with you by my side."

The FBI agent gave the older man a watery smile, noticing his blue eyes darken in the glow of the fire. "I want that to," she whispered, her tears finally breaking free. She let him lay her down, her head against his favorite pillow, and she immediately cuddled into his side when he fell in bed beside her. "Leroy?"

Gibbs simply smiled.

"I love you too." It felt amazing to finally say it. Emily blushed, feeling herself grinning like an idiot, and she quickly leaned up and pressed their lips together.

Ton watched the couple from the foot of the bed before laying himself down on the FBI agent's shoes and falling asleep, the quiet whispers of his new parents undetectable to his ears.


End file.
